Dallas County Democratic Party Chairwoman Darlene Ewing said Wednesday that she was not surprised District Attorney Craig Watkins was fielding a candidate in the March primary to replace her.

Watkins’ top assistant, Heath Harris, confirmed Tuesday that he was preparing a campaign to replace Ewing as leader of the local party. Harris said the role would not affect his job as first assistant district attorney, the top official under Watkins.

Ewing said she wasn’t so sure.

“I’m not surprised Craig is making a play to take over the party,” Ewing said. “I am surprised that Heath is the one he chose to run against me. I thought he would be busy running the DA’s office.”

Harris said he saw no problem with doing both jobs. He said he’s been in politics just as long as Watkins and is not doing his bidding.

Watkins declined to comment on Harris’ candidacy.

The district attorney has worried incumbent Democrats, mostly judicial candidates, who say he has a slate of lieutenants running for judicial posts. Watkins denies he has an organized slate but confirms that he is supporting challengers who he feels will be good judges.

Harris acknowledged Tuesday that he had Watkins’ backing in his bid to replace Ewing.

“Why would I do this without his support?” he asked.

Ewing said she’s committed to running for another term as chairwoman. Since she took office in 2005, Democrats have taken control of Dallas County politics and have not lost a contested countywide race to Republicans.

“Our success in Dallas County has come through unifying the traditional base but also growing it,” Ewing said. “Under my leadership, we’ve done that by paying attention to Democrats wherever they live in the county. We need a broad-based, inclusive coalition, not control of the party by the district attorney’s office.”

Harris says he’s running in part because the party has failed to produce high turnout during primary elections in midterm years.

Ewing called that misleading.

“The party executive committee has a policy that we do not become involved in primaries,” she said. “In the primary, we are neutral. We focus on winning elections in November against Republicans, and we’ve done that remarkably well.”

Harris argued that turnout could be better, even in general elections. He says Republicans are still a threat to be successful in Dallas County.

He said running for the chairmanship of the party was not an attack on Ewing, and he has not criticized her during several telephone calls to Democratic precinct leaders seeking support.

Ewing said her record speaks for itself, including the 2010 cycle, when Dallas County Democrats held onto offices while the party suffered losses in other parts of Texas.

“We made a monumental, unprecedented effort that cycle and weathered the storm,” she said.

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